Nonaspirin NSAID use may ward off bladder cancer

The use of nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—but not aspirin—is associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer in nonsmokers.

Sarah E. Daugherty, PhD, MPH, of the National Cancer Institute's cancer epidemiology and genetics division, led a team that investigated NSAID use and bladder cancer in three large prospective studies: NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study; Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial; and US Radiologic Technologists study. As the researchers noted in a paper published online by American Journal of Epidemiology, case-control studies have shown regular NSAID use to decrease the risk of bladder cancer, but few cohort studies have evaluated this link.

A total of 2,489 incident cases of bladder cancer developed among the 508,842 persons included in the analysis. People who used nonaspirin NSAIDs regularly—more than twice a week—ran a lower risk of the disease than persons who reported no use. This risk reduction was limited to nonsmokers, and no association was observed between regular aspirin use and bladder cancer risk.